Something new and interesting is happening in Winterset City Park on June 24th: a bocce ball tournament on the Rotary Bocce Court!

The brain-child of Bob Kaldenberg and associates in the Winterset Rotary Club, the Bocce Ball Tournament will include many of Winterset’s fine service clubs and businesses and will be a fundraiser for local non-profits. Eight mixed teams of four will compete in a round-robin for a traveling trophy. Teams that will be playing include the Lions Club, Optimist club, Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus (two groups), American State Bank, Simon Welding, and the Madison County Cattleman’s Association. The entry fees of $100 from each team will be distributed to three non-profits. And that’s where the spectators come in!

To begin with, five non-profits were drawn from a hat: Freedom for Youth, The Loft, Winterset Art Center, the Winterset Dog Park, and the Winterset Skate Park. Each of those non-profits will be represented at the event with a voting jar, and each will get to keep all the money put in their own jars. However, one dollar also equals one vote, and the top three vote-getters will share in the entry fees of $100 per team (first place $500, second place $200, and third place $100).

I’ve not seen much bocce ball being played here in the past, but that may change if more people learn how. Kaldenberg promises it is easy! The public is invited to the event to watch, learn, and vote for their favorite non-profit. A free will donation supper will be served by the Madison County Cattlemen. Competition begins at 5:30 pm on June 24th at the two bocce courts located between the Rotary Maze and the Arbor Shelter in Winterset City Park. The championship game will be held at 7:00 pm.

This Weekend

Tonight is the second Lawn Chair Night on the Winterset square, with the VFW Auxiliary serving beef burgers at 6:30 pm, and the Community Band concert beginning at 7:00. During the concert’s intermission, the Greater Madison County Community Foundation will be distributing $111,200 in grant award checks to 15 local organizations for completion of projects that will have a lasting, positive impact on our citizens and quality of life. Hope to see you there!

Also this evening, as a way of giving back to the community that supports them all year round, the museums of Madison County are teaming up to offer a free admission event for Madison County residents. Hours at each location are as follows on the poster below.

Here’s a glimpse of upcoming movies at The Iowa Theater, as well as an opportunity for a free tour this evening from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. If you haven’t seen the renovation yet, this is your chance! Doors open for all movies 30 minutes before showtime, and tickets are $6.00 for adults and $5.00 for kids 12 and under, adults 62 and older, and all matinees before 5:00 pm. Next weekend — Wonder Woman!

Re:home is open again this weekend, and several weekends in July:

The Winterset Art Center is offering a Parent/Child Creative Play Experience for kids of ages two and three on Friday morning, June 16th from 9:00 to 10:00 am. The staff will provide a variety of engaging activities for you and your child to experience together. This workshop will focus on colors, shapes, design, water painting, and bubble making. Be prepared to get a little messy and have a lot of fun! They also encourage literacy by ending the workshop with an age-appropriate storybook. The class fee is $5 per child for art center members and $6 per child for non-members. Pre-registration is required, so please contact wintersetart2016@gmail.com to make sure space is still available and register your child. Also note that parents or guardians must remain with their children for this workshop. This opportunity will be available again on June 24th and July 7th.

Students enjoyed the Winterset Art Center’s preschool art session in May.

The Winterset Library is hosting a teen event (ages 12+) on Friday from 5:00 to 8:00 pm — a Zombie Apocalypse. Participants will learn how to apply zombie make-up for the most realistic non-dead effect, and how to do a true “zombie walk”. They will also make zombie apocalypse survival bags. This event is free, but registration is required. Call 515-462-1731 or email tiffany.rohe@winterset.lib.ia.us to see if space is still available. Pizza is included!

The Madison County Farmers Market is open every Saturday morning from 8:00 am to Noon, through early October, on the Winterset courthouse square.

The Winterset Parks & Recreation Department hosts Yoga in the Park on several Saturday mornings in the summer, including this Saturday, June 17, as well as July 8 and 29, and August 12. No registration is required, simply bring a mat or towel and water bottle to the North Shelter for the session, which will go from 9:30-10:30 am. A fee of $2.00 can be paid to the instructor on site.

Our friends in Macksburg are hosting their annual National Skillet Throw this Saturday in Macksburg’s City Park. The main event begins at noon, but the full schedule actually begins on Friday and runs through Saturday at 6:00 pm. See the complete lineup and more information here.

The Drinking Lizards from Winterset were the 2016 second place team in the Macksburg National Skillet Throw.

Madison County Winery will be having a Karaoke Night on Friday from 7:00 to 11:00 pm and live music on Saturday night by 2 if by C. Also on Saturday evening, Covered Bridges Winery will have live music by Crosswind from 7:00 to 10:00 and food by Ferinheit Pizza from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Bring a lawn chair, because music will be held outside (weather permitting) and seating is limited. Crosswind is a family band playing a variety of music from 50s through 80s rock to country and swing.

Coming Soon

Tickets are now on sale for “Some Enchanted Evening” by The Winterset Stage, at 7:00 pm on June 23rd, 24th, 30th and July 1st. This will be their inaugural performance in their new home at The Iowa Theater! The show is a musical review of the songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein, and is performed by Jon and Megan Barrett, Elizabeth Hoenig, Rich Joens, Meredith McKay, David Negley, and Meisha Sible, with choreography by Nicole Eckles and direction by Scott Smith. All seats are $15.00 with general admission seating. Doors will open at 6:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased online in advance here.

On July 14th and 15th, Madison County Conservation is Partnering with the National Wild Turkey Federation to present the 2nd Annual Women in the Outdoors Weekend at Pammel State Park. The weekend will feature hands-on learning sessions on valuable outdoor skills including archery, shotgun and handgun safety and firing, canoeing, wilderness first aid, fly tying, hiking and more. Participants may choose which activities they would like to try during the breakout sessions. The registration fee for the weekend is $95, which includes a Friday night meal by the Madison County Cattlemen, and Friday night presentations by an ISU Wildlife Specialist and the Madison County Historical society, breakfast, lunch, and a “Learn Dutch Oven” meal on Saturday. The fee also includes all breakout instructional sessions and a one year membership to NWTF. To register, complete a registration form which can be found on the NWTF website at www.ianwtf.org. Registration deadline June 23. Women ages 14+ of all skill levels are welcome at this event. It’s a great networking opportunity for women interested in outdoor activities.

The Winterset Parks & Recreation Department will host a Family Movie Night in the Park on Friday, June 23 at sundown (approximately 9:00 pm) at the North Shelter. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket and non-alcoholic beverage and enjoy the free popcorn. The movie will be Disney’s The Lion King, sponsored by Madison County Realty.

Enjoy a free outdoor movie in the park on June 23, 9:00 pm at City Park North Shelter.

Finally, it’s time to mark your calendars for the Madison County Fair, July 19 through 23! Check out the daily schedule of events and more information as the dates draw near, right here.

The Madison County Fair Board looks forward to seeing you!

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading The Winterset Citizen! All community announcements are provided at no charge, courtesy of the following sponsors: